I grew up in a fairly traditional eastern suburban church where the worship, until the day I left to marry and relocate to Footscray, was pretty traditional, too. Worship of a Sunday morning consisted of a “four-hymn sandwich” – one to start with (with anything up to 8 verses); another to introduce communion; one more to introduce the sermon; and one to finish the morning by 12:00 midday (start time was 11:00 AM). The format never varied, and I mean never. The leadership of our church (as was the case in every other church back then) was pretty much wedded to the official “Churches of Christ Hymn Book” where the ‘authorised’ hymns for Churches of Christ were published. These were the only worship songs permitted to be sung at the Box Hill Church of Christ. You see, there was Churches of Christ Hymn Book Committee established by the Federal Churches of Christ way back in 1866, or thereabouts.
Part of the task of the Churches of Christ Hymn Book Committee was to select hymns the theology and doctrine of which was sound and faithful to the Scriptures, so that no one would be led into error. Next to your Bible the Churches of Christ Hymn Book was almost as sacred – you could even purchase your personal copy, leatherbound and with your initials embossed in gold on the front cover. And so, the Churches of Christ Hymn Book Committee had an important work to do in their day. I, sometimes, wonder if that committee was still in existence today, what hymns and worship songs would pass muster for what would be considered sound theology and doctrine faithful to the scriptures. I don’t think that committee – long now defunct – would have been able to keep up with the sheer volume of songs being churned out today. I am convinced that a good third of the new songs around today would never have made the selection list – and I’m not talking about style or musicality here. But I suspect hundreds of new songs would never make the cut today, despite their enormous popularity. Many are so theologically flawed … but Churches still sing them week to week.
But, I digress …
I was looking through my late father-in-law’s Churches of Christ Hymn Book recently with his initials – M.J.C. – embossed on the front cover. Flipping through the pages of some 893 hymns I was again struck by the poetic beauty of the lyrics of so many of those old hymns most of which have fallen into disuse with the passage of time. Now, I’m not hankering to return to the ‘good old days’ of hymns in worship. I love the worship ministry that our worship teams so carefully prepare for us week to week – what a blessing they are to us. But the poetic beauty of the lyrics of so many of those old hymns capture thoughts and spiritual insights that have stayed in my heart and mind over the years. They’re imprinted in my psyche – they remain as part of my personal worship today. I read them, pray, give thanks, and worship.
One such hymn, No. 285, is entitled, “When I survey the wondrous cross”, which was written by one Isaac Watts way back in 1707. The first verse is …
“When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.”
When I survey the wondrous cross … when I look at it in my mind’s eye … I see the wonder of it. The word “survey” has several meanings, all of which come from Medieval Latin and Anglo words for “looking something over very carefully”. As a noun, “survey” can mean a detailed study of something, or an overview of a particular subject. “Survey” in that sense means to pause, look intently at, or carefully examine, taking in the rich meaning before you. As I reflect on these centuries old words, I am deeply moved. Deep emotions are evoked …
When I look at the cross, and properly, carefully survey, appreciate, take in, come to grips with what happened there, and why … the cross on which the Prince of glory died … I just melt … I am overcome with all kinds of emotions. Such a sacrifice, such a great redemption … nothing I have achieved, and all that I may ever hope to achieve is just garbage by comparison to what God did in the Cross of Christ. I survey the wondrous Cross of Christ, and I am once again humbled by the grace of God towards me, the love of Jesus for me, a sinner …
When I survey the wondrous cross, I am sobered and so humbled, and I recognise anew that there is NOTHING so important in all of human history than that Jesus, my Redeemer, the spotless Lamb of God gave himself up and died for me and atoned for my sins – when I didn’t even know him! And when there was no guarantee I would ever respond to Him in faith at all. When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the Prince of glory died … my response every time, must be that this blood sacrifice, this amazing love offered to me … demands my soul, my life, my all. And I freely, willingly, whole-heartedly give it without regret.
I need to regularly visit the wondrous cross so that I never forget what a great redemption was paid for me – the blood of Jesus! And make the adjustments necessary to honour that sacrifice.
Romans 5:6-9 (NIV)
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him!”
Think on these things …
You are loved.
Ps Milton